January 16, 2006

Les Restos

Well, here I am again. Did you miss me? After a weekend spent not cooking I don't have much to tell except to give some hearty restaurant recommendations.

Paul and I ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Paris on Saturday night. Anahuacalli is a sentimental favorite of ours. We got engaged in Paris while we were on vacation in 2003 and ate dinner at Anahuacalli that evening. Plus, both of our parents have been there, Paul's grandparents love it, as does everyone else we take there! So, we spent Saturday evening with 2 friends, a pitcher of margaritas (oh! vous êtes sérieux!) and some enchiladas verdes. We had a nice conversation with our waitress about how we've been in there a lot before, so we are now officially recognized by the sweet old Mexican lady who usually takes our order! It made our friggin' night. She's so sweet.

Sunday evening was spent with our good friends Kristina and Bruno at Le Refuge des Fondus. This tiny place is just a 4-5 minute walk from our apartment and serves amazing fondue. Le Refuge is about as typically Montmartre as you can get. The resto is about 10 feet wide with one long table on each side scooted up to benches that line the wall. Graffiti is all over the walls, people are climbing over you while you wait for a table, (and it should be mentioned here that you will always wait for a table), and everyone eats their food with pure joy (and some cheese) smeared across their face.

Once our table was ready, we got called by our slightly decrepit waiters (who were smoking, by the way) to come take a seat, which meant that Tina and I got a hand with stepping up on the chair and over the table to shimmy down into our seats on the bench against the wall. Everyone has to do this as there is absolutely no room to pull out the tables. So, we squeezed into our allotted 2 feet of bench while eyeing our neighbor's pot of molten cheese. The menu at Le Refuge is this: a small plate of charcuterie (with cheese and olives), an aperitif (a kir), choice of meat or cheese fondue, fruit salad for dessert and a biberon of red or white wine all for 16 Euros. If you pay a few euros more, you can choose a really great dessert like chocolate cake or ice cream. We all ordered either the orange or lemon sorbet which came in a hollowed out orange or lemon. Very cute!

You might rightly be asking, "hey...what's a biberon?" Well, it's a baby bottle. They serve you wine in a baby bottle. With the nipple thingy. It was okay. It's weird, but it isn't that weird when you understand that if you call someone a drunk in French, you can say that he has his biberon with him. So, at least there is a pretense. Anyway, meals spent eating fondue have been some of the most fun meals spent here. I don't think it possible to be more satisfied than with bread, melted cheese and poking elbows with your neighbors.

4 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Yo Pauly and Meggie!!

I have been to that fondue restaurant, and it was one of the best nights of my life (although admittedly I did end up taking the biberon off to aid in the flow of the wine). How exciting that I know what the hell you're talking about and have been to such a bona fide hip place!

Can't wait to see you both so soon. There certainly is a phone call in your futures, so be prepared. Run for your lives.

Atim, how great that you've been there! We also had the best time. We should go again when you visit! We were thinking you guys would love it, too. Alas, though, we will have to find some other new and exciting places you haven't been! Much love and thanks for reading! =)

About Me

I have a rich life full of great food, friends and family. I trained as a classical musician and teacher, and lived a glorious 2 years in Paris, France before moving to the DC area.
I hope you'll enjoy these recipes as much as I do.